Of Magic and Mayhem
by spoonsandthings14
Summary: Magic is a little out of the realm of the Avenger's expertise, so after the events of New York, they recruit you, a scholar in multi-world magic. Shortly after your arrival, the Avenger's tower becomes home to Loki, after extenuating circumstances regarding his crimes are revealed. The Avengers hope that you are their secret weapon in keeping him in check, little do they know that
1. Hello Again

"Are you sure Fury made the right call here?" The question was meant as an aside but the Captain was loud enough for you to hear. Tony, turned to him and paused momentarily, a skeptical look crossing his face that confirmed both of their opinions on the matter.

"Look," you brought their attention back to you, as you leaned forward against the large conference table, the chilled metal sending goose bumps up your arms as you clasped your hands in front of you, "I've known Nick Fury for a long time and I've learned to tell the difference between when he's being batshit and when to listen." Stark nodded in agreement, a slight smile playing on his lips at your words.

"You see," Tony's finger found its pointed way into the air as his expression twisted again, "What I don't understand is why he sent you," there wasn't any malice in his voice and you had to admit it was a fair question.

"New York was chaos, Stark. Other worldly magic isn't something you're prepared for and I understand you're skeptical of newcomers," you opened your hands and held them up in an almost 'surrender' like gesture before leaning back in the chair, "But I've studied it for years and I've seen it a little too up close and personal many times. I can help, " You tried to stress the sincerity in your tone. You weren't the 'Avenger' type. You had no super powers or high tech suits but you had a cultivated expertise that they lacked and both you and Fury agreed it would be for the best if you offered your services.

"Help us weaponize magic?" Steve chimed in, leaning against the glass wall to the back of the room, head tilted down towards his crossed arms but gaze fixed on you. You exhaled out of your nose in a short breath, shaking your head.

"Help you understand it and fight against it if you need to. As far as you and S.H.I.E.L.D are concerned, I don't know how to weaponize it." Steve made eye contact with you, considering what you meant before relaxing slightly.

"Well, I think I've heard all I need to," Tony abruptly stood back from the table and you couldn't decipher his tone of voice until he stepped to stand in front of you, offering you his hand. You stood, and took it, shaking it firmly as he grinned, "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you," you smiled in return, dropping your hand back to your side and retrieving your bag from the table, drawing your gaze over to Steve.

"One condition," Steve interjected, making his way to the two of you. You tilted your head in anticipation, waiting for him to continue, "You train with us. We can't have anyone here vulnerable, even if you aren't in the field."

"And I'll be expecting you bright eyed and bushy tailed come next week," Stark informed you.

"Won't be a problem," You smiled curtely at both of the men, shaking Steve's hand before heading on your way.

The sleek metal walls weren't exactly inviting but they felt familiar somehow in a way you couldn't quite pinpoint. Your boots thudded against the stone floors and you tugged your duffle bag, higher up on your shoulder. You always traveled light, except for your books, which you would have to ship over from your storage unit. The muffled sounds of someone talking vibrated off the walls, quickly followed by Tony, clad in jeans and a dark AC/DC tee shirt who was walking towards you but continued to keep his attention on his companion as he kept talking.

"Miss (Y/N)," Tony chimned. You watched him eye you curiously, before shifting his weight to gesture to the man beside him, "Legolas here will show you around. Make yourself at home and I'm sure you'll meet all of the band members eventually." You returned his smile as a voice came over the speakers.

"Sir, there is a call for you on line 2," A soft british tone informed him.

"Tell them to wait a sec will ya'," Tony answered the voice, turning quickly and disappearing down a different hallway.

"I'm (Y/N)," you introduced yourself to the remaining man in the room, who shook your outstretched hand.

"Clint," He squinted at you ever so slightly before the two of you headed to the elevator, "So, you're are new recruit?"

"Well, not exactly. I'm here to help when other worlds get involved but I can can ensure you I don't control minds, fly, or have assassins training," you laughed a little.

"It's good to know I don't have another person to fight with over my pop tarts," The elevator door opened and you followed him out, "I'll show you your room and I'm sure you can find your way around. This floor and the next are mostly living quarters. Training room is up two floors and food is up one or down three. The llibrary is up two and labs are past the deck," As he spoke you both made your way down the hall, passing a series of doors and a large open living room that was backed up against large windows overlooking the city. Clint stopped at the door at the end of another hall, "And this you, I'm three doors and a left down," he pointed from where you had came, "that way."

"Thank you," You opened the door and set your bag just inside, still standing in the hall.

"Not sure how much you'll see of the others but they are usually around here somewhere."

"Cap was very insistent on me training with the team, so I'm sure I'll meet everyone soon."

"He'll regret that when you get to watch me kick his ass," you laughed, or more like scoffed, at Clint's statement, which he delivered with the utmost serious expression.

"Sure," you commented, finally stepping into your room. Clint nodded again and headed down the hall before you closed the door behind you. Your hand grabbed at the wall, searching in vain for a light switch, "Where the fuck is the light switch," you mumbled out loud.

"Turning light on," the same voice you had heard earlier sounded, making you jump as the room was illuminated. The room was minimalistic in a way but with a luxury that you had come to expect from Tony Stark. The short hallway from the door gave way to a large carpeted space with a Queen bed jetting out from the left wall into the middle. A desk was tucked away in the corner beside a large empty bookcase that didn't quite reach the ceiling. You slowly made your way forward, eyes wide as you reached the window stretching the wall of your room. The lights weren't particularly bright and gifted the room a hotel like ambiance. An open door caught your eye and you strode across the floor to peer inside. The tile on the bathroom floor was a shade lighter than the dark stone gray of the tower. It accented the clean white tub that found its place nestled next to a rectangular glass shower. A medium sized wardrobe could be found on the opposite wall passed the sink and you quickly glanced at it before exiting and throwing yourself on the bed.

"This was different," you thought, letting a sigh escape your lips. This was really different than anywhere you had lived in a long while but who isn't up for a little adventure?

Your first week in the tower was rather uneventful. After a series of wrong turns and accidently walking in on Steve polishing his shield, which seemed like a weirdly private ordeal, you established a decent map of the interior. You mostly spoke to Cap during training exercises. He had taken it upon himself to work with you but made sure you stayed on the sidelines. Clint became a quick friend. It was nice to have someone to talk to who didn't take everything so seriously. Tony popped in and out on occasion and Nat mostly kept her distance. Banner was sweet and you found it hard to imagine that the dorky doctor was the same green beast that could nearly rip a bridge in half.

"Why don't we see what the new girl's got," Clint challenged you through heaving breaths, having finished sparing with and being thrown to the ground by Nat. You threw a quick glance to Steve.

"If you feel like you're up for it," He answered with his eyebrows raising to a crease.

"Alright then," You pushed yourself up off the bench you were sitting on and made your way to the left of the floor, where Clint gestured to a rack of dulled weapons.

"Pick your poison." You let your eyes roll over the objects, throwing knives, bow and arrow, various sized guns that were unloaded. You squinted at the long-sword, wondering briefly why in the world it would be needed, until you landed on a set of twin daggers. The corners of your mouth tugged upwards as you lifted your choice from their holdings and turned to Clint. He eyes the weapons and you curiously, setting his arrows aside and pressing a button on the side of his bow that quickly released two sword like structures from the ends, before you both took your positions.

"Well, come on then feathers," you taunted with a smile, letting the daggers twirl in your hands before gripping the handles tightly. Clint lunged first, bringing his weapon down in a quick strike. The clinking of metal echoed throughout the room as it met your crossed daggers. You pushed him back, bringing the daggers back to your side before stepping forward, your stabbing motion blocked by him as he spun you around into what was almost a choke hold. A sharp elbow to the ribs and his grip loosened up enough for you to push your way free. The two of you continued, each with successful and blocked advances until he managed to hit the right point on your wrist, sending one dagger skidding across the floor. He stepped back, a grin on his face but you only smiled wider, lifting a hand out that sent the dagger flying back into your grip without losing eye contact with Clint.

"No powers huh?" He questioned, once again landing a blow onto crossed blades.

"You don't spend a lifetime studying magic without picking up a few tricks."

"I think that's enough," Steve stepped up to the two of you, a smile on his face, "Where did you learn to fight," He turned to you and you placed the daggers back to their rightful place, your chest rising quickly in an effort to catch your breath.

"Like I said, I've picked up a few tricks," Clint placed a hand on your shoulder and glanced at Cap.

"I think," he groaned sightly, reaching his other hand up to rub where Nat had connected his shoulder to the ground, "We've had enough for today." You nodded in agreement, looking around the room, only to noticed Nat was no longer there. The three of you made your way to the lower floor kitchens. You made a glass of water and couldn't help but smile to yourself as Steve pulled a bottle of some green liquid from the fridge. Half an hour later, having showered and changed, you found your way into one of the living rooms, only to see everyone speaking from standing positions by the bar. Nat and Clint's backs were to you but you could see Steve's stiff posture and the way Tony was clenching his jaw. Banner hadn't even looked up from where his fingers pressed themselves against his hairline. Worry quickly set in as you walked over to them.

"Is there something going on that I should know about," the words left your mouth cautiously as all eyes fell on you, their expressions all unchanging.

"We have word from Thor," Steve eventually answered, "After New York he returned Loki to Asgard but there was evidence of mind control. Loki may not have been fully aware of what he was doing and they have decided he should be supervised here." Nearly everyone shifted uncomfortably and Banner scoffed quietly at the prospect. The ground felt as if it was shifting underneath your feet, the room turning slowly like a carnival ride that had just begun. _Loki, _the name echoed in your mind and amplified the twisting knots in your stomach, "Thor will be here tomorrow morning," Cap concluded, securing the final knot in your gut.

"Which means," you forced your eyes to peel back from their cemented place on the floor in front of you and glance up at Tony who now stood next to you, "It's your time to shine," his hand clasped your shoulder as he forced out a tight lipped smile, a certain weariness laced in his tone.

"Brother, I don't see how you expect your midgard pets to safeguard me any better than the palace guards," Loki eyed Thor, his wrists turning uncomfortably in his chains as Thor half dragged him to the outskirts of Asgard.

"It is not safe for you here, brother," He answered, not looking to his brother but keeping his gaze and determination forward.

"And it's safer for me there," Loki stopped in his tracks, forcing Thor to stop too, who finally turned his somber attention to him.

"They know it was not you, not truly you, that they fought," Thor attempted and failed at a comforting tone and Loki still refused to budge.

"Knowledge, unfortunately, isn't all there is and such events aren't easily forgotten," Loki began to walk again, his chains clanking together as his hands fell against his body when he stepped.

"I trust my friends with my life. All I'm asking of you is to trust me," A glance was shared between the two of them that seemed to display a conflict of sorts in both gazes but before Loki had a chance to open his mouth the bifrost enveloped them in a quick flash, replacing their shining city with concrete floor of the Tower's deck. Tony and Cap met them together and joined the remainder of those they knew in the conference room. The air was thick, worsened by the heavy glares everyone held unrelentingly on Loki who shifted slightly where he stood. Thor briefly greeted each of the team and returned to his place by his brother.

"I cannot stay but I trust my brother is in good hands. I know he has caused each of you pain but I know you will see that he is not who you have met in New York," Thor smiled at Loki, who simply rolled his eyes.

"You will stay in the tower," Steve informed him, "You are restricted from the labs and the armory. Tony has eyes on every inch of this place, so you step one foot out of line and-"

"And we have a nice familiar cell waiting for you," Tony cut him off, finishing the thought and putting a mocking smile on Loki's face. Thor removed the handcuffs, causing another nearly audible shift in the room. Loki, smiled at his wrists, rubbing the spots where the metal had confined him.

"You'd let me roam freely, how brave of you," Loki spoke for the first time, grinning once more as he challenged the room.

"Not exactly," Tony spoke quickly, raising a finger in contradiction and stepping backward till he was near the door, "We may not understand your little Criss Angel mindfreak act you've got going on but we have someone who does," Tony kept his eyes on Loki but opened the door slightly and gestured to something outside.

"Oh," Loki took a step forward, keeping his eyes trained on Tony, "I'm very intrigued to see what you've prepared. Pray tell, what's your secret weapon?"

"That'd be me," you managed to sound firm though your voice shook as you stepped through the door, locking eyes with raven haired trickster, who stood speechless before you, "Hello again."


	2. In the Beginning

"Lady (Y/N)," Thor exclaimed in surprise, beaming as he quickly scooped you into a bone-crushing hug.

"Thor," you couldn't help but smile back at his large toothy grin, leaving a hand resting on his arm after he released you, "It's great to see you." Your smile faltered as you looked over his shoulder, finding Loki who's eyes locked on yours. You couldn't read the emotion in them but, to be honest, you couldn't even name the chaotic mingling of emotions that were bubbling up inside of yourself.

"If I had known it was you who was watching over my brother, I would have come sooner," his words forced a pained smile from you. Tony's eyes were burning into your skull, so you turned to face him, swallowing the lump that was forming in your throat.

"I've met them before," you answered Tony's questioning glare, gesturing to the two men beside you, "Obviously," you added much quieter than before.

"Didn't think that was something worth mentioning," Tony asked, wrinkling his nose slightly as anger coated his words.

"Didn't really get the chance," you made eye contact with Tony, only peeling your eyes away to look at Cap who looked as if he was trying to read every emotion and thought you had. With a quick scan of the room, it was clear that Natasha already had and Clint held an almost sad expression on his face. Banner held the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, glancing between you, Thor, Loki, and Tony periodically.

"I've studied magic extensively. Asgardian magic, as you know, among them. I'm here to keep you in check," You had turned your body towards Loki, taking a step forward as you spoke, still doing your best to restrain the emotion that threatened to spill out through your tone. He only watched you, unwilling or unable to respond, so you turned back to Tony and Cap,"I can take him to his room and then we can talk," you offered and they shared a glance before nodding, "It was great to see you again," you squeezed Thor's shoulder.

"I won't let such a long time pass between visits next time Lady (Y/N)," He spoke softly and you smiled genuinely at him before opening the door for Loki. His feet remained in place for a few seconds before he finally shuffled from the room. As soon as the door shut behind the two of you, the silence seemed to tighten its grip on you. You made your way down the halls and up the elevator without a single word, the two of you glancing at each other, cautiously as to avoid the other noticing. The final few feet to his door was equally filled with the thudding of boots against the floor and nothing more until you both halted outside of his door.

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you this quiet," Your eyes dragged up from the ground to the walls, eventually finding their way to Loki. There was a sense of sadness in his expression as he peered down at you, still silent.

"It's been ages, Lady (Y/N)," He finally spoke, the words leaving his mouth far quieter than you expected and you swallowed hard.

"Too long," you added. The corners of his mouth twitched but did not raise into a smile, "Despite the circumstances, I really am glad to see you Loki."

"You may be the only one," He quipped. You exhaled a resigned laugh through your nose.

"This is you," you reached past him in order to open the door, gesturing inside. You turned to leave but changed your mind as soon as your back was to him, continuing to turn until you faced him again, "and don't try anything will ya," you added with a wink. Loki finally offered up a small but genuine smile, watching you disappear back down the hall. He opened his mouth to say something—anything but found no words would leave him, not that you would be able to hear anything anyway over the sound of your own heartbeat drumming in your ears.

"I had a hard time even wrapping my head around it when you said they were coming, I haven't seen them since I was 17," you explained, now back in the room where everyone remained except for Thor.

"Two Asgardians just walked up to your dinner table one night," Banner questioned sarcastically.

"I ran into them and I wasn't even living at home at the time. It was a strange situation but it was a long time ago," Your neck ached from the strained way you were carrying yourself and you tapped your fingers nervously against your thigh, waiting for their response.

"You and Thor seemed pretty chummy," Tony observed and you nodded once towards him.

"Well," you began, tapping your tongue on the roof of your now dry mouth, "We became close at the time."

"How close," Cap spoke up now and your eyes darted to where he stood.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he took two steps in your direction until he was just a foot or two away from you, "if it came down to it, would you be able to do what it takes?" Steve's words pulled your heart to the pit of your stomach as something close to anger rose within you.

"You make it sound like I'm supposed to kill him," you huffed out a laugh but Steve's expression remained unchanging, "Look, you fought him but I know him."

"Knew him," your eyes found Natasha who was leaning back in a chair, feet propped up on the table, "Are you sure that he's the same man you knew?"

"I have no idea," you admitted, though the words dragged up your throat, falling from your lips at just above a whisper. You kept your eyes on the stone floor, the sound of boots thudding against it and the swing of the door sounding. Finally, you glanced up, finding only Clint remaining. A sigh escaped you and you took a seat at the table. After what felt like an hour of silence, he joined you, the chair's leg scraping painfully against the ground.

"I just want to know how you ended up with two aliens," Clint's tone was laced with humor, no doubt intentionally, and it made you relax as you leaned back in the chair to look at him, "You know, I was with S.H.I.E.L.D when Thor first touched down and he didn't strike me as a frequent visitor."

"They didn't come to Earth," you began, earning an eyebrow raise from Clint as he waited for you to continue, "I went to Asgard."

The earth was soft and pliable beneath your bare feet, your heavy steps flattening the grass as you ran through the field, finding one of the lone trees within it. Your hands quickly found their place without much thought, your muscles working on instinct and familiarity as you propelled yourself to a far up branch, the current book you were reading clenched between your teeth to keep your grip free. Settling yourself in the nook of the branch, you opened the pages and began to roll your eyes over the words. This had long since become your favorite spot, hidden from the open expanse of the field. Your uncle never cared much where you ran off to, so you found yourself here during most of your free time, even though it was a good 20 minutes from your house. The first thing you noticed was the branch shaking beneath your foot that wasn't hanging in the air, followed by the branch beneath you. Tearing your eyes from the page, you looked around rather frantically, the tree only shaking harder. As quickly as you could whilst trying to maintain your balance, you made your way down, having abandoned your novel up in leaves. The ground vibrated almost violently and in your sheer panic, you began to run, your speed and the shifting ground blurring your vision. In an instant, the hazy green of the field was replaced with a blinding light, forcing you to stop in your tracks. The ground shook harder and tears streamed down your cheeks, the sound of a racing train surrounding you, and your hands searching blindly for the ground as you moved to sit. Only, you did not find the warm embrace of the grass and dirt, instead, feeling a cold stone substance beneath your palms.

"Little one," you whipped your head around frantically, trying to see who the deep commanding tone belonged to through your eyes still blurred with tears. Slowly, the large circular room came into focus, the arching columns, the black night that seemed to envelop it. Finally, your gaze focused on a large pair of golden boots stood just in front of you. Following them upward, a large man stared down at you, a golden-horned helmet adding several inches to his giant-like statute and accentuating his dark and stern expression. You opened your mouth but found no words would escape, you only crawled backward an inch or two upon instinct, "Come," he extended a hand to you but you only stared at his palm. He insisted, however, not returning his arm to its place after several seconds, so ever so hesitantly, you placed your hand in his. He helped you to your feet and began to lead you from the room, each step landing unsteadily as you tried to keep your knees from buckling. An audible gasp left your lips, first from the unexpected chill of something under your bare feet, and secondly from the realization of what exactly that was. A rainbow path of something you could only describe as cosmic glass stretched over an endless void, bridging the gap between the circular building and a city that could only have been out of someone's dreams. The glittering metal stretched up to a dusk sky and you found your eyes darting from every stripe of color and every sparkling beam as the man continued to lead you forwards. Guards of a slightly smaller but still intimidating statute met the two of you at the end and eyed the other man curiously.

"The Bifrost is experiencing a temperamental shift and we have an unexpected visitor, a Midgardian. I am unable to leave my post but take this girl to the king and tell him as such." The guards offered up no contradictions, one of them replacing the strong grip on your hand with their own without any further words. Your eyes were too overwhelmed and your thoughts to frantic to really register the distance you had walked, the only give away being the slight ache of your feet and the fact that you were now entering the gates of the palace you had spied before. The next few moments were all but a blur as you were ushered into the throne room, an enormous hall that concluded in a throne to oversee it all.

"Your Majesty," the guard greeted with a bow as you only stared up in shock, tongue-tied and breathless, "Heimdall sends a message."

"A message and a girl," Spoke the king, standing from his throne and taking slow steps down, so that he now stood just a step above the palace floor.

"He tells me that the Bifrost has experienced a shift and has given the kingdom a visitor, a Midgardian, my king," Odin watched you, bringing a hand up to smooth his beard, searching for something in your expression.

"Heimdall is a trusted advisor, I will implore Frigga to house her here until I am able to speak with him myself, you are dismissed." The guard released your hand and left as quickly as he had shuffled into the room, armor clanging lightly, followed by the opening and closing of the heavy throne room doors.

"Your name," He questioned you, stepping down the final step. Again, you opened your mouth but closed it again as he waited.

"Where am I," you managed instead, earning another curious glance from the king.

"Asgard, my child," He answered you.

"(Y/N)," you finally told him, only for the creaking of the door opening to stop any response before he gave it. Soon, you found a flowing dress beside you, its owner forming a soft expression as they looked at you.

"Frigga, my dear, Heimdall has sent us a visitor. She is to be housed here for the time being," Frigga nodded, offering you her hand, which you took, before she exited the throne room, guiding you down another hall.

"What do I call you dear," she spoke sweetly and it made you relax ever so slightly, but your shoulders remained stiff and your eyes still raked over everything they could find.

"(Y/N)," she smiled at your response, turning once more to begin walking down a slightly narrower hallway, still adorned with luxuries you had never seen and lined with thick columns with torches secured beside them for light.

"I'm Frigga, tell me, how did you find your way to our home," by home, you assumed she meant the palace, or perhaps, whatever the king had said before. Asgard? You had never heard of that country if it was even a country at all.

"I don't know," you decided on and she let out a quite 'hmm.' Before the two of you reached the door at the hallway's end, it burst open, making you jump.

"Mother," a boy, who looked to be about your age, boomed. His long blond hair was tousled and strands of it hung about his face. He raced up to the woman beside you, holding a luminescent green snake up to her, "Loki has turned my sword into a snake again," he whined and you looked up to her face only to find a small smile there.

"Loki," she began softly, petting the head of the creature with a single finger, "you've had your fun," with that, Thor dropped the snake to the ground and you stepped back, now free of the woman's hand. As you blinked, however, the snake disappeared, replaced with a slightly smaller dark haired bow, who extended a long sword to his brother with a wicked grin. Now that whatever quarrel they were having had concluded, both of the boys' attention fell to you. They cast a questioning glance to their mother, who ushered you forward so that you were beside her again, "boys, this is Lady (Y/N), she will be our guest for the time being," You glanced at the blond haired boy who broke out into a grin.

"I am Thor, the god of thunder," you raised your eyebrows but were unsure of how to respond. God? What did he mean by god? Your eyes flicked over to his brother who had rolled his eyes at Thor's introduction. His blue eyes latched onto yours, neither of you speaking. Thor, suddenly uninterested, turned and left through the door he had come through, sword happily over his shoulder.

"I am Loki," the boy answered, his brow crinkling ever so slightly, giving you the impression he was studying you, as you were him.


	3. Something Blue

The table's metal surface was smooth and reflected the overhead lights in areas so that it gleamed, not as if it were something that held any real luxury, but similar to a can that catches the sun as it's uncovered from the sand. It was no longer cold from where your fingertips rested on it, silently tapping. Your story, if that could be called a story, had tapered off a few minutes before and silence took its place. It wasn't a myriad of information but it was something. After decades of cleanly folding a part of your life and tucking it away into a drawer, you were admittedly hesitant to pull it out so flippantly, especially to someone you had only befriended a few weeks ago.

"Clint," Natasha poked her head through the door and you and Clint both looked up at her, "Duty calls," she reminded him and he ran a hand through his hair as she left. You looked at him, waiting for him to say something, after all, you had been explaining to him.

"Cap's got us on recon mission but we should be back in a few days," Clint stood up from the chair. He didn't say anything else but quickly clasped a hand on your shoulder reassuringly. His expression was twisted in thought but it lacked the sadness you had thought you'd seen before, which lightened your heart slightly. Still, the ever knawing anxiety of the situation was twisting in your stomach, wrapping its tentacles around your spine, and digging its claws into your shoulders. In short, you really needed to loosen up a little. With that fact in the back of your mind, you quickly found your feet, guiding you down the halls, glancing up to find that you were now in the vacant Avenger's training room.

Slipping off your shoes, you wrapped your hands and wrists and moved to the corner where Steve kept his boxing gear, setting into the punching bag forcefully. You inhaled sharply, exhaling harshly as you landed each blow. You jabbed with your right hand, followed by your left, bouncing on the balls of your feet as if you were in the ring. Picking up speed you let loose, trying and failing to somehow punch out the anxiety in your veins. Sweat began to bead around your hairline, and the back of your shirt clung slightly to your back. You unwrapped your hands, trying to catch your breath as your eyes scanned the room, landing on a set of spears that were hung on the far wall. The wrack looked as if it had held pool sticks once and were now made home to something you wouldn't necessarily even call deadlier. Making your way over to them, you examined them. They were sleek and wooded with a pointed metal tip. Clearly, they were not meant for battle but the dust that had collected around their ends where they met the board they stood on, suggested the spears had not been used before even in training. Their function as decorations crossed your mind briefly. Regardless, you found your hand gliding over one of them and pulling it free from its restraints. For a fairly fragile weapon, it was weighted well and felt familiar in your hands. You posed in the middle of the training room, spear poised for battle. It was silent except for your deep inhale. Your breath left you with a sharp noise as you struck the open air. Calmly, you returned to your position, inhaling once more before

_Clash_

Your spear connected with another—Thor's spear. His hardly laugh filled the room, the wind whipping his long hair across his face.

_Again_

You struck and another loud clang reverberated somewhere in your head. Loki's crossed daggers resisted your advance, followed by a wide grin.

_Again_

Sif's sword pushed you back so that your tailbone connected painfully with the ground. You reached to push yourself up off of the palace grounds, only for your fingertips to grip the padded flooring of the Avenger's training room. You sighed, or more like, loudly exhaled as your chest heaved. Your eyes focused on the area in front of you—empty and very much Earth. You shook your head, pushing yourself up as your frustration and anger tightened its grip. You ran forward, nearly screaming as you dug the end of the spear into the floor, using the now secured pole to swing yourself around and plant your boots in the air as if someone's chest was there, before collapsing. It was several moments, minutes perhaps before you regained your standing position and managed to dislodge the spear, returning it to its stand without even noticing the fairly deep hole it had left.

You brought the hem of your t-shirt to your forehead, wiping away the sweat that had accumulated there. Your chest rose and fell in staggered breathes, evening out as you made your way through the tower. The stone floor was nicely chilled under your still bare feet. Your shoes, long discarded, hung from the fingertips of one of your hands. You almost missed him. He was quite still on the living room sofa and your eyes skimmed by at first as if he was just another fixture. A second glance clarified that it was actually Loki who sat there, his hand resting palm side up on his thigh, fingers moving ever so slightly. A mixture of different colored lights, hazy and only barely distinguishable, danced along with his movements across the coffee table in front of him. You watched him for a moment, your gaze following the lights, before walking up to him, stopping just short of standing beside him. He knew you were there. After all, It would be a feat of incredible skill for anyone to sneak up on the god of tricks himself. Still, he made no notion of acknowledgment to your presence and you offered nothing in return. Instead, you lifted your hand as well, waving your fingers in a particular pattern that caused his lights to twist up, forming the shape of a small, multi-colored snake, before falling back into the formless whisps.

"You've been practicing," Loki observed, throwing a curious and almost proud glance your way. You sat beside him, nodding slightly.

"Revisiting old tricks," you questioned. He held out his wrists to you, revealing the metal cuffs secured to each one.

"The only tricks I'm currently allowed," Loki clarified, "A stipulation in my punishment it seems." The cuffs were evidently skillfully made and the materials appeared Asgardian, however, the skillmanship was familiar, giving you the impression that Tony's handiwork was certainly involved. His fingertips had returned to his thigh, motionless, yet your gaze still fixated on the coffee table where the lights had been.

_A thin green snake crawled up to Thor through the short cut grass of the palace garden. You squint your eyes, watching from your place behind a pillar just inside the doorway. Thor met the creature excitedly, reaching down to take hold of it, only to pull back at the last second._

"_Brother," he addressed the snake, "No more of your tricks today."_

"_To what are you referring," came the cool voice from behind him. Thor spun around, coming face to face with the dark-haired prince. He glanced from Loki to the snake and back to Loki, stuttering something unintelligible. Having concluded something to himself, Thor reached back down towards the snake, wrapping his large hand around it gently, only for it to turn to sand and slide through his retreating fingers. Loki laughed, earning a scolding glare from Thor, who advanced towards him, in order to, what looked like an attempt at a headlock, but Loki held up a hand and quickly darted away. Thor looked around aimlessly, as did you, but he was nowhere to be seen._

"_See anything interesting," The voice behind you made you jump. You turned to find Loki raising an eyebrow at you, waiting for an answer with his hands clasped behind his back._

"_You seem to have a thing for snakes," was your reply and the corners of his mouth turned upward._

"_They've proven to be quite effective," you smiled in return._

"_How do you do," you searched for the words, did not find them, and opted instead for a hand gesture that elicited a laugh from the prince._

"_It's only a simple illusion," Your back was pressed up against the pillar now but you relaxed, he did not frighten you as much as the others who lurked the palace halls but after only a few weeks there you knew very little about the prince, apart from brief mentions from Frigga, "surely there's something of the like on Midgard."_

"_Not that I've ever seen," you shook your head and Loki let out a considering 'hmm.'_

"_Would you like to learn? Magic is only feasible by those with a natural inclination, but I could show you," He stopped, watching your expression intently before continuing, "if you want."_

"_I'd love to," you answered, much to his surprise. He nodded, gesturing for you to follow him down the hall._

"So, how are you settling in," you questioned, snapping yourself from your thoughts and turning your gaze to the man beside you. He let out a short laugh, turning his head to face you.

"Is that all you have to say to me," His tone was somewhere between angry and hurt but quiet enough so that it only registered as sad.

"I honestly don't know what to say to you," you sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose briefly, "It's been so long Loki and the last time I saw you—"

"You were right you know," He cut you off, "You were right to leave. There were many monsters in that palace," his gaze saddened, "it was good you escaped when you did." A laugh escaped your lips and you stood to stand beside him.

"If you're trying to give me that 'I'm a monster' stick, you can save it. You're dramatics don't persuade me." You reached for his shoulder but he grabbed your wrist tightly.

"Don't," He managed through ground teeth but your eyes were glued to his arm, more specifically, the deep blue skin that jutted from his sleeve and tapered off like torn fabric somewhere between the cuff and the hilt of his hand. You jerked your gaze upward, watching the sea of blue creep its way up from Loki's neck but it disappeared as soon as it came, revealing his usual pale complexion but your eyes were wide. His hand released you and his arm retreated quickly. You remained in place for a moment, any words you had, any questions, caught in your throat, before leaving the room.


	4. My Bad

The motions were quick—thoughtless due to a predetermined conclusion and sheer familiarity—as you pulled the notebook from the desk in your room, tore a page free, and began to fold the corners. Your fingers moved swiftly and methodically, till a neat paper swan sat on the desktop. You examined the creature for a moment, the blue stripes of the yellow page across the Swan's body hardly visible in your room's dark lighting. Taking it up into your hand, careful not to crush it, you made your way from your room and down the hall. Your feet stopped at Loki's door and a sigh escaped your lips that was only audible to you. You placed the swan at the foot of the door and went on your way.

"Technically no, I can't do the math for shit, but conceptually it's actually similar to certain aspects of the system of magic I encountered in Nepal," you answered Bruce, as he shuffled through a few papers, explaining here and there a few of the concepts he was working on. With Clint and Natasha gone, you had gravitated towards the lab the last two days. Banner had been quite aloof since you arrived but you assumed that had more to do with your presence coinciding with a certain god's. He was surprisingly warm and inviting when you found yourself in stumbling into his and Tony's lab, especially, when the two of you realized there were actually many common topic points between magic and science. He absentmindedly fidgeted with the pen hanging from his unoccupied hand as you picked up a half-empty bag of some snack, peering inside to see what it was.

"Those are Tony's, he got a taste for the Quin Jet's freeze-dried fruits, I guess," you nodded, laughing to yourself and setting the bag down. The lab's workspaces were a strange juxtaposition of neat and total messes with no real rhyme or reason to how organized any given inch was.

"You're needed downstairs Newbie," you looked up at the sound of Clint's voice to find him leaning against the doorway, smiling.

"Hey, when did ya'll get back," you questioned, moving to the end of the workspace table and leaning on the end of it.

"Touched down a few minutes ago, just in time for a briefing," He added the last bit with a small cringe, earning a laugh from you, "you too Doc." The two of you followed Clint to a room downstairs that you hadn't been in before, a combination of the living room on your floor and the meeting room you first met them in. The whole team, minus the two Asgardians, were all accounted for. You smiled at Nat, welcoming her back and she returned it with a nod. Clint took the seat beside her on the couch with you and Banner shuffling in after him. Tony leaned against a pillar directly beside what could be referred to as a sort of holographic whiteboard. Steve took the other end of it, nodding once he concluded everyone was there and stepping forward slightly.

"Nat and Barton got eyes on an outgroup heading towards New York. From what we can tell, there is only around 30 members," Steve tapped something on a remote, hitting whatever it was three or four times before an overhead image of an armed group moving across a hilled countryside appeared, " but don't look like they're from around here. Clint picked up this from one of their camp sites," Clint reached behind the couch and tossed short sword for Steve to catch. Its handle was wrapped in thick leather straps and its hilt gave way to a short blade that formed a cliff-like structure towards its end, like a single jagged edge of a key.

"That's where you come in," Tony spoke up, moving from the wall and taking the sword, which was already extended to him.

"You think it has some sort of magical properties," you questioned, gripping the handle he had passed to you.

"That's the working theory," Tony answered. The leather was smooth under your touch but you could feel the worn imprints of someone else's hand along the straps. You eyes raked over the metal blade. It was sleek like many modern machines or weapons but, at the same time, it was reminiscent of ancient weapons you would find mounted under glass fixtures on museum walls. Still, it gave no indication of being particularly magical. You extended the sword, feeling its balance on your grip, before looking over every nook and cranny of the blade.

"As far as I can tell, it's a normal weapon," you paused, "well, not quite normal. It's certainly nothing I've seen before but I can't see anything that would indicate it has magical properties or is charmed in some way." Tony hummed to himself in disappointment and you handed the sword to Banner, who held it delicately as if it (or possibly him) was made of glass, as he looked it over.

"We have a tracker on them now," Steve continued, "We'll head out in the morning," He concluded and everyone made their way to their feet in a manner that reminded you of a room full of students packing up their things after the bell, "I had one more thing to ask you," Steve stopped you as you went to leave.

"Yeah?"

"You don't happen to know anything about a new hole in our training room do you," A smile played on his lips. You had meant to mention it but it completely slipped your mind.

"My bad."

"How are you getting along, my dear," Frigga's tone was soothing as she led you down the palace hallway.

"Fine," you didn't look up at her but a cool hand on your arm made you stop. She studied you, gently but with an intensity that never left her gaze, "Why am I here," you finally looked up to her as the question slipped past your lips. Frigga hummed in return.

"Well, I'm quite surprised you hadn't asked me before," your brow furrowed in confusion but she continued on, "To be honest dear, I'm not quite sure. One here's many things and my husband has an affinity for his secrets," the two of you began to walk again, moving slowly, side-by-side, "As do I," she added with a wink, "But I can see many things beyond what the eyes can and I can see that you belong here, part of you at least," You swallowed, listening to her words intently. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind to you. Frigga called upon you for frequent walks and one of the Princes had taken an interest in teaching you a few of his tricks, but it all felt disorienting, as if you had been launched into a movie, already ⅓ of the way through with no context, expected to simply take up the character and know your lines.

"And the other part," you finally managed, watching the corners of her mouth upturn.

"It seems that part is undecided," her words coincided with the two of you stepping from the Palace's interior out onto the stone pathway to the gardens, quickly finding your way to the grass. The fresh air felt good in your lungs and the subtle warmth added a glow to your expression. The two of you continued on in silence until a mix of grunts and the clashing of metal met your ears. A large square had been marked off in the grass, weapons sat in the far corner, as well as a few littering the ground. In the "ring," Thor's hammer met Sif's sword with a swift blow, only for his knees to be knocked out with a well-placed kick.

"Lucky blow but you will be the one in the dirt next time," Thor announced, laughing as Sif helped him off the ground. She caught sight of you, Thor's gaze quickly following.

"(Y/N)," He all but yelled, holding his arms out to the side. You raised your eyebrows in response. You were honestly surprised he remembered your name, given that you had only seen him a few times and only spoke to him once, excluding when you were first introduced. From what you gathered, he was rather arrogant but was kind at heart and almost like an energetic oversized puppy at times, "You should join us," he decided, hurrying you from his mother and into their ring. Their other spectators, including two other men you thought you recognized and a few others you didn't, most lounging in the grass, watched you carefully.

"No, I—," your protest didn't quite make its way past your lips, much to your frustration and soon you found a blunt sword being thrust into your grip, "I don't know how to use this."

"Perhaps something lighter," Sif postulated and replaced the sword with a long dagger, "Is that what you're used to?"

"No, I mean I don't know how to use any of these," Both she and Thor gave you a confused look.

"Are there no warriors on your planet," Sif questioned, a sense of astonishment and almost disgust penetrating her tone.

"No—I mean—yes, sort of, but most people don't train like this," you did your best to explain, your grip unconsciously tightening around the handle in your hand.

"Then it's time you learn," Sif decided, "every woman should know how to bring their opponent to their knees," she threw a glance and a smirk towards Thor, who rolled his eyes, "here," she adjusted your grip on the dagger, "perfect, now strike!"


	5. Paper Swans

The leather cover was smooth in places and rough in others. It had withstood the test of time but not without a torn page or two from, what Frigga had mentioned, was several hundred years of use. You felt its weight, heavier it seemed simply from the sheer amount of knowledge contained within, as you clutched the book with two hands. The jingling of metal caught your attention and your gaze met the guard it belonged to briefly. He noticed you as well but the guards of the palace had stopped sending you curious looks and the fear and uneasiness they once evoked in you, had dissipated over the past month or so. When you recognized the staircase you had been looking for, after a quick examination of the area to make sure you were alone, you ducked into a corner, halfway under the stairs and hidden from outside view, smiling as you found the prince you had been looking for as well.

"I was beginning to think you had gotten lost or died," Loki's tone carried a false note of horror.

"I'm not even late," you rolled your eyes but smiled at him. He nodded to the book in your arms, silently questioning you, "Your mother gave it to me. She said it would 'assist me with my studies.'"

"Ahh, I'm not surprised my mother has noticed your taste for magic. She was my first teacher as well," Loki responded, taking the book from you and flipping through its pages before handing it back, "Speaking of tricks, I have something I'd like to show you." He smiled and you could see an excitable glint in his eye.

"Alright," your tone was laced with skepticism and your arms moved to cross themselves after placing your book on the floor with the others the two of you had 'collected' there, but you were intrigued nonetheless. Loki moved closer to you, extending one hand with his palm, facing upward and as flat as he could make it. His other hand waved over it, and a paper swan appeared. Your brow furrowed ever so slightly.

"Don't you like it," He asked expectantly, watching your expression intently.

"It's a paper swan," it wasn't quite a question but your inflection made it sound like one.

"Yes," he answered cruelty, "I came across it in my reading the other night. It's Midgardian." you reached forwards to touch it but the solid appearance dissipated under your fingertips. You couldn't help but laugh slightly. Loki shifted his weight and tense but relaxed when he saw the smile across your face.

"You know, you don't need magic for those," bending over, you sifted through the piles of books until you found one that was mostly empty pages and proceeded to tear one out. You were sitting now, smoothing the paper on the palace floor, before carefully folding the corners in. Loki watched you from where he stood until you found your feet again and handing him a recreation of the illusion he had just shown, "A friend of mine taught me how to make these when I was around nine, they are quite lovely." He looked over the paper bird in his hands, a barely noticeable flush of scarlet on his cheeks.

"Yes, quite lovely."

The Palace library was a gem, hidden away down a few twisting halls. Two doors of chestnut wood and iron gave way to an expansive space, lined with shelves and containing a few desks in the center. Your heavy steps were muffled by the thick stone underneath you, as you walked the familiar pathway to your favorite section. There was no one else there with you, not even a guard. No one would dare steal from the King and you suspected that the items worth stealing wouldn't be there anyway. Still, you found value in the ancient novels, history books, and elaborate collections of spells that were contained in such humble bound forms across the shelving. Casually, you made your way around the room, lessening the stack of books in your hands one by one as you returned them to their place. After your hands were free, you began your exploration, running your fingertips across the spines, in search of something worthwhile. Eventually, your gaze came to rest on a small work of literature with a dark-hued cover, lying on its side on the shelf. Your eyes lit up at the sight of the small paper bird perched on top. You picked up the paper swan, the corners of your mouth up turning into a smile as you looked it over. Finally, you moved your attention to the book, its inside cover confirming your suspicions. 'A lovely read,' is all it said. There was no name or signature to be found but you didn't need one.

Your breath constricted in your lunges, allowing no air to enter. Then, all at once, you gasped deeply and frantically, expanding them again as your eyes shot open. Your post-nightmare brain did not know where you were, instead only registering the almost pitch black darkness of the room and the sheets that seemed to be swallowing you. Slowly your brain began to focus as your breathing evened out. The darkness registered itself with night and the sheets with the oversized bed in your room in the Palace. The palace—the very subject of your now fading nightmare, It's towering ceilings closing in on you as if it were a closet the width of your shoulders, the guards always somewhere in the corner of your eye, and the man you had first met when you arrived, looking down on your huddled form in the circular room. You sat up quickly, pushing the sheets off of you and jumping from the bed. You found yourself moving to your desk, vision focusing in on the small paper swan you had found about a month before in the library. Sighing, you wrapped a jacket around the thin pajamas you were wearing and made your way from your room, swan in hand, along with a flower you had picked from the gardens. Cautiously, you crept down the hall, keeping an eye out for guards, until you reached Loki's chambers. You placed both at the foot of his door, before continuing on to the gardens. The night was beautiful, if not slightly chilled, and a soft glow illuminated the otherwise dark night. You took your place at a bench towards the back of the first garden area, what had become a favorite spot of yours. Your eyes fixated on a fountain in front of you, the waters slowly flowing from one stone platform to another, as your mind drifted to the streams in your neighborhood you would often visit, its soft sounds reminding you of the wind that blew through your favorite tree.

"I got your invitation," Loki's voice broke you from your thoughts and you turned to see the prince standing over you, holding up the swan in one hand. He was clad in something remarkably similar to his armor but less elaborate and certainly less protective. A smile graced your lips and he returned it warmly, taking a seat beside you.

"I couldn't sleep and you never seem to either, so," you explained, rubbing the back of your neck as he watched you.

"I'm honored to join you. I admit you had piqued my curiosity, sneaking out so often," you were still watching the fountain but you turned your head to look at him.

"How did you know I come out here often," you questioned him, watching his unreadable expression. He simply scoffed at your question, making you roll your eyes as his attempt at mystery, "It's weird, this place. I mean, I know it's literally a palace but it feels," you searched for the right word, silence falling between the two of you.

"Stifling," he suggested and you nodded.

"You think so too?" It hadn't occurred to you that he may feel the same, after all, it was his home.

"It certainly has its moments," you nodded again, and once more silence came but there was a comfort in it that you couldn't quite pinpoint, "why are you here, if you don't like it here," Loki's tone was soft and you thought for a moment before looking back up at him.

"It wasn't exactly my choice," his brow furrowed, questioning your words before he could respond, "After all this time, I still don't know why I'm here. I used to think it was a dream and that I'd wake up, back home, asleep in the field down the street from my house."

"Do you mean you came here by accident," His voice sounded genuinely surprised, granted the two of you had just begun to talk about things outside the contents of various books.

"The next thing I knew I was in some sort of circular building and then I was taken down a rainbow bridge by this man—"

"Heimdall?" The name Loki mentioned sounded familiar to you and you recalled the name Odin had addressed him as and nodded.

"I was taken to your father and he told Frigga I was going to stay here. It took me weeks to even realize that this wasn't earth—Midgard," you corrected yourself.

"Curious," was all he said, resting a hand under his chin and watching the fountain as his thoughts swirled in his head.

"It's not all bad though," you reasoned, giving him a genuine smile.

"No?"

"No."

Nights crept on in the Palace halls and sleep came easier with the coming months, as did conversations with the Prince. It was well past dark, but you were huddled in your desk chair, book in lap with pages illuminated by a small lamp. A knock sounded at your door, making your head snap up. Frigga was usually the only one to come and see you in your room but not at, what you guessed was nearly 3am. Setting your book face down to keep your place, you padded your way to the door a chill from the cold floor on your bare feet, creeping up your spine. Your door creaked open, revealing no one behind it. You looked to each side but only the empty dark hallway was there to be seen. You turned to close the door, eyes skimming the floor and landing on a gleam of white. A smile stretched across your face as the paper swan came into focus. You picked it up swiftly, taking another step from your doorway and looking around.

"Loki," you whispered, hearing nothing in return, "Loki," you tried again a little louder this time but still no one answered. Turning right, you crept farther down the hallway. Suddenly a hand reached out, setting itself over your mouth, while another pulled you around the corner by your arm. Your eyes widened and your heart leaped into your throat, but you relaxed as the prince came into view. He released you, putting a finger over his lips in a 'sh' gesture, "You scared the skit out of me," you scolded, smacking his arm.

"Apologies, Love," He laughed, "I thought we'd have a little adventure before the regime change next month." The regime change, you thought, Loki's affectionate term for his brother's coronation.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, nothing grand. A trip to the kitchen or maybe the dungeons," he suggested.

"The kitchen sounds good," you chuckled and he laced his fingers with yours, silently guiding you down the halls. Neither of you made a sound as you moved forward, stopping ever so often to ensure no guards were lurking around the corners. He knew the route well it seemed, so in a few minutes, you were both down in the kitchens. If your judge of time was right, the cooks would be in there in only a few hours, but that left the two of you with plenty of time. It was childish. For the next few minutes, you felt like a nine-year-old kid at boarding school, sneaking out to the kitchen with empty pillowcases to fill. But that was the fun of it, no need to plan or worry, just a few cookies and a little adrenaline. It wasn't the first impression Loki gave off, but you had come to learn his affinity for fun, not just tricks that had a victim at the other end. The two of you grabbed what you could, talking absentmindedly and eating for hours as you laid sprawled out on the countertops.

"We should get back before they open the kitchens up," you suggested. He groaned but stood to his feet quickly, lifting a hand to help you down, which you did not take only to get an eye roll from him. You made your way back, you slightly in front this time, treading lighter in the few minutes before the palace would start to wake. The two of you returned as you had come but the distant sound of jingling metal caught your attention. Acting on instinct, you reached behind you and pulled Loki into a corner. Both of your backs were against opposite walls but the small nook made it to where you were still less than a foot apart. Soon enough the sound clanging metal grew louder and was followed but a guard, moving past your hiding space unnoticed. In all truthfulness, he was a prince and you a guest of the palace, so the guard's knowledge of your whereabouts wouldn't have mattered in the slightest. You were allowed to roam as you pleased, but it had become a game of sorts to the pair of you. When the 'danger' had gone, you turned back to Loki, simultaneous grins spreading on your faces, followed by laughter. The laughter faded but the smiles remained, as you locked eyes with his. Slowly, he leaned forward and you met him halfway, closing the gap between you and placing a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Well come on, we haven't got all night," he joked as soon as you had pulled away, taking your hand and leading you back down the halls.

Your fingers tapped along the side of your thigh as you left the briefing. Your mind lingered on the sword and its peculiar makeup until the handle to your door tristed beneath your grasp. Walking in, you stopped short at the sight of the raven-haired god sitting at the edge of your bed. He sat stiffly upright, watching you with a blank expression.

"You called?"


End file.
